How does a choice to eat vegetarian or vegan fit into holidays centered around animal-based foods?

The holidays are filled with family, celebrations and lots of food. Delicious meals and traditional dishes are an important part of cultural heritage and customs. So how does a choice to eat vegetarian or vegan fit into holidays centered around animal-based foods?

The good news is that being vegetarian or vegan doesn’t mean you can’t partake in holiday celebrations with meat-eating family and friends. With a few strategies and open communication, you can enjoy the holidays and get your fill of tasty celebratory food as well.

Know Where You’re Going

First and foremost, have a plan of where you’re going and when. Are you hosting? Is your family? Is your partner’s family? Know if the gathering will be centered on a meal or not. Remember that it’s always an option to eat ahead of time or after the event.

Talk with the Host

If you’re going to someone else’s home for a holiday get-together, communicate with the host as soon as possible. Ask them what is on their menu. Explain your dietary preferences. If they offer to make a dish that suits your needs, let them know you’d be happy to share a recipe (that way they know exactly which ingredients are OK).

Offer to Bring a Dish to Share

Oftentimes it can feel burdensome to ask a host to make a special dish (or sometimes they may offer without even being asked) so it’s nice to bring a delicious dish to share that suits your dietary preferences. If you’re not sure what else is on the menu, bring a dish that will keep you satisfied for a few hours, I suggest a casserole with grains and beans and veggies. (Try a recipe on this website.)

Bring Your Own Food

If all else fails, you can always bring your own container of food to heat up at the party and enjoy. That way you know you’ll be getting enough food to keep you satisfied and not feeling deprived, and you won’t be putting any pressure on the host to make a special dish for you. You might get some questions, which is an opportunity to share about your plant-based deliciousness.

Remember the Purpose of the Day

Yes, food is amazing and is the center of many celebrations, but quality time with friends and family should be the focus of your time. Eating before or bringing you own food will ensure you aren’t distracted by hunger and will allow you to focus on gratitude and joy with your loved ones!

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient. Symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency may include:

Fatigue

Tingling

Feeling of pins and needles

Decline in brain function often manifested in speech and memory impairment,

Inability to maintain balance

Disorientation

Reckless behavior

Agitatation

Discover the how to make sure everyone in your family receives adequate vitamin B12 when consuming a vegan, vegetarian or plant-based diet by downloading B12 in Vegetarian Diets from the website Resources Page.

Thinking about becoming a #vegan, #vegetarian, or switching to a #plant-based eating plan?

Do questions like this pop into your head?

Can I get enough protein?

Will my bones stay strong if I just eat plants?

Do vegan children grow properly?

Does soy cause breast cancer?

Discover the science based information that will inspire you to start creating vegetarian meals. Bust the myths — by downloading Vegetarian/Vegan Myths (PDF) It provides information on how plant-based diets provide all the necessary nutrition for healthy diets free of animal food sources.

Already a #vegan or #vegetarian and want additional information about planning meals? Check out our FREE downloadable Resources on healthy meatless eating for all age groups.

A recent Harris Poll found that 47% of Americans eat at least one vegetarian meal a week. Are you one of this growing number of people interested in eating more plant-based meals? Or maybe you just want to totally change your diet and become vegan? Either way download Eat More Plant-based Meals a resource that provides tips on how to make the changes easy, fun and sustainable.

Discover how to increase your plant-based meals, while keeping one or two of your life long favorites.

Learn how to stock your pantry and refrigerator with staples that will make it easy to eat plant foods anytime.

Challenge yourself to add one new serving of legumes to your day!

Legumes are a class of vegetables including beans, lentils and peas. There are countless reasons to love legumes. For starters, they are nutrition powerhouses, rich in protein, fiber, iron, potassium and folate – all of which are important nutrients that our bodies need to function well. Legumes have one of the lowest carbon footprints of all the food groups and require about 19 times less water to produce than meat, making them a more earth-friendly option to add to your plate. Legumes are also very affordable with a serving of lentils costing just $0.10! And most notably, legumes are a very versatile food group. Utilize the tips below for ideas on how to include different legumes in your meals and snacks!

Here are some ways to include more legumes in your diet:

Try a bean burrito for breakfast, wrapped in a whole grain tortilla with avocado, salsa and sautéed veggies.

Add red lentils to pasta sauce – they cook to a soft consistency and your kiddos won’t even notice they’re there, they also thicken sauces for a heartier meal.

White beans provide a creamy foundation for soups and more – blend with a little water and you’ve got a versatile “cream” to richen things up.

Throw leftover beans and lentils into the slow cooker with canned tomatoes, peppers, onions and chili seasoning for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

Use dried spilt peas, chopped vegetables and spices to make a spring-inspired soup.

Try a variation of hummus by substituting red lentils for the chickpeas and adding a dash of cinnamon and cumin. Or mash black beans with paprika and lime juice for a fun dip.

Challenge yourself to add one new serving of legumes to your day! And don’t forget to leave a reply below with your favorite ways to use legumes or any questions about including more legumes in your diet!

Zinc can be found all organs, tissues and fluids in the body. Zinc provides many functions including:

Optimal growth and development

Reproduction

Appetite

Taste ability

Night vision.

Proper function of the immune system.

Zinc is widely available from many types of foods, so deficiency is rare in North Americans including vegetarians. The problem arises from phytate, a compound found in grains, nuts, and legumes that reduce our body’s ability to absorb zinc from these foods.

Download our FREE full-color Zinc in Vegetarian Diets resource and discover how to maximize the absorption of zinc from plant foods, choose foods high in zinc, and get menu ideas.

The word breakfast literally comes from the Breaking of the Fast. Before we had electric lights everywhere, when the sun went to bed, so did we. There was no midnight snack because we were up before the dawn and sacked out through the night after a hard day in our agrarian lifestyle. The biggest meal was at lunch when we had the most light with which to cook it. The evening supper consisted of a simpler fare and was the last food eaten before a long slumber. Generally, there was about 10 to 12 hours between the last meal and breakfast. However, in the 24-7 fast paced 2009, it is a different story.

Many people I counsel eat later and later. They eat dessert while watching TV after work. Many tell me they just aren’t hungry in the morning. Here are some interesting facts I read from Dr. Caroline J. Cederquist.

Singapore’s reputation as a food paradise extends to its vegetarian and vegan dishes as well.

Singapore, also known as Lion City, is a vibrant Asian country with rich culture mostly drawn from four main ethnics: Chinese, Indian, Native Malays, and Eurasians.

The vegetarian and vegan foods are equally interesting making Singapore the No. 2 spot on PETA’s list of the Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Cities in Asia in 2016. With Changi Airport quoted to more vegan options than few major cities in the world, let’s explore the vegetarianism in this country further!

Vegetarian foods sold at a hawker centre, which are collections of stalls selling simple, local, economical foods.

Traditionally, vegetarian food in Singapore is contributed by Chinese and Indian ethnics due to religion beliefs because many people are Buddhist and Hindu. These foods are usually sold at hawker centres, which are collections of stalls selling simple, local, economical foods. Many Chinese practice flexitarianism during first and fifteenth day of lunar month – which are important selling days for vegetarian shop owners. Traditional Chinese vegetarian foods usually come in form of an economic rice setting, where the customers choose the base (fried rice vermicelli, fried noodles, or white rice) and sides (protein and vegetables). The protein choices are heavily soy-based, such as tofu braised in soy sauce stew, deep fried tofu, or mock meat made of gluten or textured vegetable protein. They also refrain themselves from five pungent roots: onions, garlics, scallions, chives, and leeks for religious beliefs during this time. As most proteins are deep fried, making a conscious effort to limit the fried items and ensure fresh choices are included as well goes a long way in supporting the healthful aspects of vegetarian living.

Vegetarian options are available in common Indian restaurants, but some restaurants can be fully vegetarian with no meat options at all. These restaurants rely on many lentils or peas as proteins – such as lentil stew dhal to accompany Indian pancake called prata. While coconut milk is heavily used in Singapore’s local dishes (curry!), the practice is less among Indians. Indian curry usually uses yoghurt or milk – this can be one way to boost protein and calcium and yet still yummy option.

Many expats and younger generations choose vegetarianism and veganism for animal welfare, health, or environmental reasons. More creative fusion and Westernised restaurants have thus popped up to meet the demand, making vegetarian foods more accessible and attractive to the general population. For example, a local spicy curry-like dish called Rendang is incorporated as a Rendang mushroom burger. Dishes like acai bowl, vegetarian pokebowl, grain bowls are all among recent trends in Singapore. Interestingly, meat-based restaurants now offer vegetarian options increasingly. It’s a welcoming trend resembling what is happening worldwide.

Fried Rice Vermicelli

Singapore does live up the reputation as food paradise and this extends to the vegetarian and vegan dishes as well. When traveling to Singapore, keep a balance between nutrition and exploring different cuisines. Walk more to burn off some calories (expect that in Singapore) and you can always rely on major supermarkets for nuts, fruits for healthy snacks to keep your traveling days healthy! Enjoy!

Being a vegan teen athlete is not complicated. It is easy for teens to receive proper nutrition for sporting events by eating a variety of foods. In general, teen athletes should receive the majority of their calories from complex carbohydrates, a moderate amount from protein, and a moderate to low amount from fat. The bulk of these calories should be nutritionally dense, meaning they provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals. For example, nutritionally dense carbohydrates include whole grain breads and pastas, brown rice, quinoa, and whole grain flour. Most fruits and vegetables are nutritionally dense as are vegetarian proteins.

Protein is a key macro-nutrient that many athletes focus on. Athletes should consume 0.8 grams of protein for each pound of body weight. It is easy to meet these requirements on a vegan diet. A good tip is to include a protein food with every meal. This can be as simple as putting peanut butter on your morning bagel, adding nuts to your salad, cooking with beans, and drinking a high-protein milk alternative, like soymilk. Vegetable proteins like tofu, tempeh, seitan, and meat analogs are protein packed. Read labels to find the meat analogs also fortified with vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B12 and iron, are two nutrients that vegans need to monitor. Vitamin B12 can be found in fortified foods, including soymilk, cereals, and nutritional yeast. Check the label to verify that the choice you make contains B12. Foods high in iron include dark green leafy vegetables, soybeans, tofu, lentils and other dried beans, quinoa, fortified cereal, and raisins. To maximize absorption include a food high in vitamin C—such as orange juice, tomato sauce, or broccoli—when consuming foods high in iron.

Increased exercise means increased calorie needs to maintain body weight. Because a lot of vegan foods are low in calories, it may be important to increase calorie intake especially if you are participating in a strenuous sport. One way to add calories is to eat extra snacks throughout the day and increase the calories in your meals. The table below provides a list of quick and easy 200-400 calorie snacks to add to your diet.

200-Calorie Snacks*

400-Calorie Snacks*

1 crunchy granola bar

½ cup guacamole dip with 1 cup corn chips

1 banana with 1 TB peanut butter

8 whole wheat crackers with ¼ cup hummus

6 ounces soy yogurt with fruit

1 bagel and 2 TB peanut butter

¼ cup mixed nuts

½ cup trail mix

1 ounce hard pretzels with ½ cup fruit juice

2 cups calcium-fortified orange juice and a granola bar

Add calories to your meals using these easy ideas!

Use oils or margarine on vegetables, rice, and pasta, add vegan cheese.

In conclusion, receiving proper nutrition for the vegan athlete is easy. Eating a variety of foods and taking in more calories during times of increased exercise are important. Teen athletes are able to receive everything they need from a vegan diet to perform at their maximum potential.

No matter how prolific the evidence nor how well presented our website, there will always be someone who asks, “Can a vegetarian diet provide enough?” Enough might mean enough protein, enough variety, enough nutrients, enough of whatever the questioner fears might be lacking.

It’s not surprising that this question continues to be asked. The societal belief that a well-balanced diet must include meat, fish, poultry and dairy foods is deeply ingrained and has some roots in the association of these foods with an individual’s ability to procure them, that is, one’s personal affluence. During World Wars I and II, many foodstuffs were rationed including butter, sugar, meat, and coffee. Transportation of food was limited by fuel rationing and so people began to cultivate their own gardens and raise their own chickens. Thus, Victory Gardens appeared where flowers once grew or cars once parked. The ‘Eat locally’ movement had begun but with a slightly different intent than today’s locavores.

Naturally, with the rationing came a sense of deprivation that persisted until the end of the wars and the relative improvement of choices in the market. As people were able to add some of the former luxuries back into their regular diets, it wasn’t long before these luxuries became daily staples.

It’s worth noting here that as countries around the world become increasingly more developed and affluent, their diets also change to include the very luxuries mentioned above; fat, sugar, meat and another, alcohol. Patterns of disease in those countries parallel the dietary changes as both become more like disease and diets seen in Western countries.

So the question remains, “Does a vegetarian diet provide enough?”

Once again my dear photographer friend, who also happens to be a midwife, comes to the rescue with a delightful visual aid.

Take a look at the platter of food she compiled for her pregnant clients; its beauty belies its nutrient value. Not only colorful but also displaying the recommended plate proportions of protein, vegetables and fruits, this meal offers enough for an individual to meet nutrient needs as well as support good health. All the foods are rich in vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals and fiber while being relatively low in calories and fat as well as being free of simple sugars and cholesterol. These characteristics help to maintain appropriate weight and reduce blood pressure as well as risks for heart disease and diabetes.

White lima beans are this meal’s primary source of protein, with one cup providing 16 grams or about 30 percent of an adult woman’s daily requirement. The limas’ 30 grams of fiber meet the daily recommendation for adults and do a great job of modulating blood sugar, providing satiety and maintaining intestinal health. Besides being rich in potassium, white lima beans pack iron to the tune of 60 percent of the adult recommended daily intake. There are 140 calories in one cup.

Sugar snap peas, which are actually a hybrid of English peas and snow peas, are completely edible. One cup has barely 30 calories but more than 60 percent of recommended vitamin C intake. This is a vitamin K rich vegetable, which is why it is so aptly included in the lunch for pregnant women.

The much-maligned watermelon also does its share to support good health by providing vitamins B6, C and K, plus potassium and lycopene, a beneficial phytochemical found only in red-pigmented fruits and vegetables. One cup has about 50 calories, a trace of protein but no fat or cholesterol. What is fascinating about the protein is that it is comprised of amino acids that can metabolize to nitric oxide, a substance that helps to maintain artery function and thus improve blood pressure.

Without examining the familiar nutrient gifts of the mixed greens and herb salad, you can see that a lunch comprised of what we have just discussed can be not only quite filling but also nutrient dense, providing almost a third of a woman’s daily protein needs, wrapped in a wide variety of vitamins and minerals as well as including enough fiber for the day.

These nutrients promote good health; the fruit and vegetable packages they come in are visually and gastronomically pleasing, and the relatively low caloric load helps to maintain a healthful weight.

Is this not enough to make you curious to learn more about a vegetarian diet?

Vegetarian and vegan diets provide adequate protein when menu planning focuses on how much your body needs and which plant foods provide this essential nutrient. Protein is made of amino acids which are the building blocks for our muscles and many other structures in the body. So it is important to consume a wide variety of protein-rich plant foods in meals and snacks throughout the day.

In the Healthy Tips for Meatless Meals you will find five tips for feeding your family more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts every day. Also discover how easy it is to feed your family meals with out meat.

Making the change from the standard American diet to a plant-based one may seem daunting, but with just a few gradual changes you’ll be eating a healthier, more satisfying diet before you know it.

Start by eating more of the plant-based meals you already eat. Bean and rice burritos? Pasta Primavera? Cereal? These are vegetarian foods! By focusing on the ones you already eat you are making changes even before you introduce new foods.

Add more plant foods to the mixed meals you are eating. Shift the balance of plant and animal foods toward more plants – the ones you already eat and love.

Don’t give up your favorite animal foods immediately. If you love cheese pizza more than life itself, keep eating it! Make the easier changes first.

Eliminate animal foods you don’t eat often. You won’t miss these so let them go first.

Find other vegetarians and vegans! Most likely they will be excited to share their favorite foods, meals and their restaurants. There are many types of vegetarians with varying food preferences, so talk to as many as possible.

Find recipes and cookbooks that you like. Skip the gourmet ones (for now!) and go for the ones that are most similar to your cooking/eating style.

Cook with others. Invite friends over for a vegan dinner feast. When making changes in your life it’s always easier when you involve others.

Many health food stores and grocery stores carry plenty of healthy vegetarian foods like non-dairy milks, faux meat products and a variety of produce and whole grains. Take the time to explore different sections of these stores. You may find stuff you didn’t know existed.

The abundance of plant foods that exist in the world is mind-boggling! And the variety of ways to prepare them is incomprehensible. Imagine the possibilities and don’t discount a food immediately, look for other ways to prepare it.

Be prepared. Stock your kitchen with the healthy, plant foods you want to eat and it will be harder to lapse into old ways.

Stay connected. Subscribe to our blog and stay informed about the health, ethical and environmental benefits of eating a plant-based diet.

Can I continue my vegan diet during pregnancy?I’m vegetarian and pregnant what can I eat?

Making great food choices during pregnancy is vital for all women. This includes eating a variety of foods, which are full of nutrients and calories to meet the needs of mother and baby. If you are choosing any type of vegetarian diet during pregnancy there will be questions about what you are eating. Will you get enough protein, folate, iron, calcium, omega 3 fatty acids, and other nutrients. Be prepared to answer YES with this FREE on-line resource Vegetarian Diets in Pregnancy.

Vegetarian Diets in Pregnancy provides menu plans, how to stay hydrated, keeping a healthy weight, and staying active. It also provides how much of a nutrient is needed and what foods provide nutrient rich sources of:

Protein

Calcium

Folate

Iodine

Iron

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Vitamin B12

Vitamin D

Zinc

Be prepared — download Vegetarian Diets in Pregnancy today . Then you will have the tools to make healthy food choices and answer “YES,a vegetarian diet can provide all the nutrients and calories needed by mothers and babies.”

There’s been a new discovery. If you eat a whole avocado with orange-colored tomato sauce or raw carrots, the absorption of carotenoids, plant pigments that convert to vitamin A, is enhanced. Well, this isn’t really news.

Nutrition scientists and experts have known for years that fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K need fat for your body to use them. Fat soluble vitamins actually dissolve into the fat we eat and then are absorbed into the circulatory system so they can do their jobs —

Vitamin A is key to great vision

Vitamin D supports bone health

Vitamin E is a free radical fighting antioxidant

Vitamin K is needed for blood clotting.

Avocados contain fat and two-thirds of that fat is monounsaturated fat, which is considered a heart healthy fat. Avocados also have a delicious and creamy mouth feel and provide a good source of fiber.

Due to the high fat content, avocados contain lot of calories. One avocado is about 320 calories. While this study suggests eating an entire avocado with orange colored-foods, it only takes a couple of bites of fat to get vitamins A, D, E and K absorbed during digestion.

So next time you create a salad add a few slices of an avocado to maximize the amount of fat soluble vitamins that are available to your body.

Eating a plant-based diet with CeD means your body has zero tolerance for gluten which is found in plant foods that are also rich in protein. Wheat, rye, and barley are common in vegan and vegetarian diets but for optimal health a person with CeD must avoid them.

If you are a vegetarian or vegan with CeD missing the key nutrients in these grains, means you must find other foods to meet your body’s needs. Download the free resource Combining Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten-Free Diets (PDF)and discover the tools for combining a gluten-free diet with vegan or vegetarian food choices.

Interesting synergy of the Universe – I’m eating a healthy serving of pinto beans doused with substantial spoonfuls of salsa and open my mail. Lo and behold, the Dry Bean Quarterly. Now, you think I kid you, but you never know what finds home in a dietitian’s mailbox.

With many of us either eating to prevent or recover from disease, I was curious to read that eating beans reduces cancer risk. In the Nurses’ Health Study II, eating common beans (as opposed to soybeans, which are oily) and lentils was associated with a significant reduction in breast cancer risk. Significant in research is powerful – it might be a small change in a large population but the change rates high on the board.

Dr. Henry Thompson, the author of the Dry Bean Quarterly, did a pre-clinical trial of his own – just to see if the change in risk was real. It’s keen that a food staple like beans that offers a rich source of protein, resistant starch (not as readily taken up in the bloodstream, thereby keeping blood sugar more constant), and soluble fiber can also keep our breasts cancer-free! The results of his study showed that cancer cells were inhibited by eating beans. Hence, he now recommends at least one-half cup of beans or lentils daily, and as much as 1 1/2 cups of cooked beans a day if you’re adventurous. For more info, log onto www.beaninstitute.com.

Beans, beans, good for your body, the you more you eat, the more you rest — with satisfaction that you’ve done a lot in preventing this disease.

What if that same eating style helped keep your weight in the healthy range? And reduced your risk of breast, bladder, and other cancers? Would you then?

I’m even charged thinking that my risk of other diseases, like heart disease and diabetes that runs in my family, is lower with this eating style.

What if this eating style was really quite simple to follow, with no deprivation aspect, and fills you to satisfaction every single meal? And is environmentally friendly? Would you then?

So what is it?

Vegetarians have been studied extensively and recently, studies reveal that a vegetarian lifestyle is healthier overall. In Nutrition Journal, vegetarians had less depression, anxiety and stress and overall, better moods than meat-eaters in the U.S. The reason? Vegetarians eat less animal-based essential fatty acids and more omega-3 from plants. Sign me up!

People with diabetes have a higher incidence of colon, liver, pancreatic, and endometrial cancers. The American Diabetes Association and American Cancer Society suggest more whole grains, fruits and vegetables and less red and processed meats which reduces the risk.

In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers say postmenopausal women can lower their risk of breast cancer with a diet of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and flax and sesame seeds (great sources for lignans).

And, red meat and processed meat, because of their processing with nitrates and nitrites, and grilled meats because of the high temperature required in grilling, increase bladder cancer between nearly 20-30% (Cancer).

And another study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, meat consumption contributed ONE POUND per year weight gain. That doesn’t sound like a lot but multiply that times 10 years and you’ve got the beginnings of a chunky monkey.

Plant-based diets are gaining momentum and becoming more mainstream. Pop your head into any grocery store and you’ll be able to find numerous products marked “Vegetarian” or “Certified Vegan.” It can be difficult to know what’s what! Below are brief definitions to help guide you.

Vegetarians do not consume any fish, meat, or poultry. A lacto-vegetarian consumes dairy products and an ovo-vegetarian consumes eggs. A lacto-ovo vegetarian consumes both dairy products and eggs, but no meat. Products labeled “vegetarian” typically do not contain any meat or meat-derived products; however, there are no regulations in the U.S. governing the use of “vegetarian” on a label. To be certain that a product is vegetarian, contact the manufacturer. An example of a meat-derived product is gelatin, which is prepared from animal bones.

Vegans are vegetarians who do not consume any animal/insect=derived products including dairy products, eggs, and honey. This group avoids animal/insect-based food dyes, binders, and additives.

Individuals following a Raw Diet consume products that are uncooked and unprocessed. The percentage of raw foods can vary from 50-100% raw. Their diet may or may not be vegan. Consumers of the raw diet do not cook foods at temperatures greater than 116 degrees Fahrenheit. Examples of raw foods are typically vegan include fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouted grains, beans, and dried fruit. Depending on the individual’s preference raw meat like Carpaccio or raw fish like sushi may be eaten as well as raw milk products.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recognizes that appropriately planned vegetarian and vegan diets are healthful for all age groups. Completely raw diets are not recommended for infants and children due to concerns with nutrient adequacy

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Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient. Symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency may include: Fatigue Tingling Feeling of pins and needles Decline in brain function often manifested in speech and memory impairment, Inability to maintain balance Disorientation Reckless behavior Agitatation Discover the how to make sure everyone in your family receives adequate vitamin B12 when […]

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The Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetics Practice Group (VN DPG) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics strives to empower members to be the leading authority on evidence-based vegetarian nutrition for food and nutrition professionals, health care practitioners and the public.